


Growing Pains

by chaeou



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Bittersweet, The Author Regrets Nothing, but also regret everything lol, just moments in life, the mafia life is not kind, there is happiness as much as there is sadness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:26:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24896902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaeou/pseuds/chaeou
Summary: Drabbles about the pain of growing up too fast
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	Growing Pains

**Author's Note:**

> Uhhh I don’t really know what this is but I guess you can say it’s the bitter(sweet) moments of the everyday lives of our dear khr cast. I’ll probably do 10 mini drabbles within each chapter so if you have a character request/theme you wanna see just leave a comment

**1\. Bullet**

Contrary to popular ( _very very popular)_ belief, Reborn was not born into the mafia life. He had two very loving parents, a younger sister, and a dog growing up. Living in the countryside of Italy, he spent his younger years following his father in the field or helping his mother in the kitchen. Sometimes he would take his little sister and Leo _(a cane cardo, one that likes to laze around)_ out for an evening walk. 

Reborn was not mafia-born. He had a simple but fulfilling life, enjoying the sunrises on the roof and sunsets from the patio.

So years later, when standing in front of the Sawada residence he couldn’t help but think, 

_‘Am I going to take this kid’s childhood like they took mine?’_

He had no choice but to bite the bullet and ring the doorbell.

* * *

**2\. Lesson**

“Does it still hurt?” I-pin asked, sitting on the edge of her best friend's bed. Lambo hadn’t come down in a few hours, locking himself in his room before completely breaking down.

Tsuna had told everyone to let the poor boy be for a bit to cry everything out but I-pin wasn’t about to watch her friend destroy himself any longer over some girl. 

“I feel like my heart got ripped in half and stomped on.” He confesses. “I really thought she liked me .”

Watching the tears gathering in his green eyes, she silently swore she would teach the girl a lesson, ally or not.

* * *

**3\. Hopeful**

“Why didn’t you ever get angry at dad?” Tsuna questioned suddenly. It was a rare day off from the office, his younger siblings spending time with the girls while his guardians were all sent on some kind of training exercise, courtesy of Rebon and the other arcobaleno. 

Sitting across from him was his dear mother, nursing a cup of tea. It was fall already, the leaves turning various shades of yellow and red. It was one of his favorite time of the year, things just seemed so peaceful and calm. 

All she did was offer a small smile in return, laughing at her son’s reaction.

“I was always angry Tsu-kun.” She answers softly, the years of loneliness creeping into her smile lines. Yes. She remembers the nights where she couldn’t take it anymore, wallowing in self pity as Tsuna slept upstairs. The nights before the baby tutor came along, how every night she would wait by the phone, praying for a call. 

“It takes a certain mindset to just roll with the punches, especially a new mother with no support after all.” She set her cup down, looking at the falling leaves, an old spark within her chest coming back alive at the more happy memories with her husband. “But more than that, I guess I was just _hopeful_.” She laughs, blinking away the tears.

And that’s when the 20 year old realized. 

Of course his mother was angry for all those lonely years, smiling away the pain. His beautiful mother, who accepted all the bits of crazy in their small home, who continued to set a plate at the empty seat before Reborn took over, who did so much but given so little-

She was always angry.

But she was more hopeful that one day his father would choose family over famiglia. 

* * *

**4\. Hero**

“When are you going to stop playing hero!?” Mammon slammed her fists down as she practically screamed the question, everyone at the table tensing.

“When we can all be free.” Uni smiles sadly, looking down at all the pacifiers. 

* * *

**5\. Stay**

“What wrong?” Reborn asks, watching his student throw himself on the bed. “You’re upset.” He observes, leaning back in his chair.

“Not personally upset” Tsuna sighs, turning on his back “Just realized some upsetting things about Iemitsu”

“Oh? What’d the idiot do this time?” It wouldn’t be the first time the blond went and upset the young don and his guardians. 

“Nothing surprisingly, well at least not tonight.” He laughs, feeling the tears pool in his eyes. He doesn’t say anything when his tutor sits on the edge of the bed.

It takes a few moments before he can find his voice, the bitterness on the tip of his tongue.

“I just realized that no matter what, Iemitsu will never stay. Mom is stuck putting a plate for an empty spot at the dinner table for the rest of her life.” 

Reborn couldn’t find it in his heart to disagree with that. For a great leader, the blond failed at being a father.

“Everyone here will always stay. For you, for mama.” He replies, watching the boy try and choke back a sob. 

The rest of the night is a quiet affair, Iemitsu disappearing like a wandering ghost.

* * *

**6\. Regret**

“Do you ever regret it Trash?’ Xanxus growls out the question, the sun starting to go down. Next to him is his old man, IV attached to his arm and a bewildered look coloring his face. 

Today had been a close call fanfare, with two bombings too close for comfort and a leak of information the Vongola HQ was in scrambles. Tsunayoshi, the small trash, encouraged him to visit the old man when word got out that the Ninth had been in combat. (Because no matter what their positions were, no one ordered Xanxus around. The small trash knew this and only persuaded the older with a knowing look.)

“Regret what? You’d have to be more clear on what you mean.” Replies the elder, clearly trying to understand.

_For pushing me_ **_away_ ** _. For making me_ **_believe_ ** _in you. For_ **_damning_ ** _the baby hitman to spend his life tutoring a no good brat. For making your own_ **_sons_ ** _fight for this family. For always allowing Iemitsu to be_ **_away_ ** _from his family. For_ **_never_ ** _believing in us. For always pushing for_ **_results_ ** _. For_ **_lying_ ** _all those years. For_ **_sealing_ ** _me away. For_ **_losing_ ** _all three sons so easily. For_ **_dragging_ ** _the small trash into this world. For-_

“For being so damn weak.” He clicks his tongue, scowling. “Can’t believe you let those scum get you.”

* * *

**7\. Remember**

Sometimes, Chrome forgot what her life was like before Muroko-sama and everyone else. Most days she would smile without regret, laughing at the silly antics conjured up by her family. She spent the days training with Mammon, eating lunch with the girls, and helping with whatever she could. She took care of the kids, Lambo, Ipin, Futa, and sometimes even Fran who all adored her to bits and pieces. 

But sometimes she remembered. She would remember how her parents didn’t even care. How the only thing she had in common with those people was blood and a few documents. She remembered the arguments, could practically feel the closet she used to lock herself in.

On the bad days, whenever she spotted her eye patch in the reflection, she remembered the life before her family. 

* * *

**8\. Ant**

No one says it, but even if they are the most powerful mafia family there is, in the end they’re just like ants.

So insignificant to the world. They live and breathe like the rest of their friends, their lives just a passing moment. 

* * *

**9\. Realization** ****

“Stupid cow what the hell are you doing up?” The storm grumbles, catching the seven-year old in the kitchen. The bugger’s hands covered in grape jelly, no doubt a midnight snack. “Juudaime told you not to make a mess of the kitchen.” He chides, grabbing the other by the collar and hoisting him up.

“Ah stupidera!” Lambo shouts in surprise, jelly covering his cheeks. “Put me down you octopus!” He demands, trying to wriggle his way out of the taller’s hold. 

“Hurry up and clean your face and get your ass back to bed.” He responds, ignoring the shouts emitting from the cow in favor of going to the bathroom. “Why’re you even down here?” He asks, plopping the child down.

“..had a nightmare.” He mumbles, rushing inside the bathroom. 

The realization that even despite living with the Sawadas for a while now, Lambo still dreams of the day he was thrown away by his blood, hurts Gokudera more than he can admit. He knows what it’s like, familiar with the doubts living in the young boy’s heart. 

(He doesn’t mention anything the next morning, but Lambo smiles brightly at him anyways. The kitchen sparklingly clean from last night’s mess along with the bag of grape candies found by his pillow serve as a reminder that he’s wanted.)

* * *

**10\. Muscle Memory**

There’s things that no one talks about after returning from the never-future. 

Hayato doesn’t talk about the dreams of failure, of his home being taken away from him again. Forces himself to grow up faster, memorizing every ally’s name should his family fall in troubling times again. Works late nights to develop new techniques, never stopping to take a break. He tucks away the memories of the never-future, swallowing the anxiety it brings.

Takeshi doesn’t bring up his paranoia around his Pops, hiding the uneasiness behind a smile. He stays up with his old man, talking about the life he had before becoming a father. Some nights they talk till the sun comes up, laughing and crying all the while, and it’s not a surprise to anyone when they find out that those are the days where they talk about his mom. 

Ryohei works harder at healing. Doesn’t talk about the anxieties of not being able to save his family, pouring everything he has into learning about the human body. He watches over his siblings, coming to their aid over every scraped knee and bloody nose. He refuses to lose them, not a second time. He ignores the glances as he strolls into the library, picking out the medical books.

Kyoya will never tell the others (not that he has to), but he’s more at peace at the crowding his pack does. More at peace seeing the herbivores stick to each other like glue, in a place where he can reach them. He doesn’t talk about the bitter feelings the future brought him, not about feeling so utterly helpless or so desperate to protect his pack. He lingers closer, ready to attack any threat.

Lambo, for being a loud mouthed brat, stays silent about the things he’s seen from all the times he used the ten year bazooka. Traveling between the future and past isn’t something anyone can just do, so he keeps quiet about the timelines he’s embedded into his memory. He keeps his horns close, clings to Mama and Ipin, ready to protect them at any given moment.

Chrome disappears sometimes after returning. She walks aimlessly in the forest until she finds a place to rest, laying flat on her back in the grass. When, and only when, she’s confident that she’s far enough from the rest she lets out an agonizing scream. She pours the memories of the disappointment from the future, the pain she endured, the fear of never truly belonging into the scream uncaring of all the animals that avoid her. Afterwards, she sobs quietly until it’s time to go back.

Muroko isn’t surprised by the development the others are going through. He understands and sympathizes just a bit. As someone who has gone through six lives, time is a lot more crueler than one would expect. He doesn’t come around often afterwards, not even through Chrome. He simply waits, watching over them.

Tsuna pukes up his meals, the food tasting like ash. He tries not to but he can’t help it, the nausea getting to his head. He can’t even stand the sight of his flames, aware that it was these flames that burned Byakuran to ashes. He dreams of the never-future, pictures the lives lost and how it was all his fault. He breaks down silently each night, not even Reborn or his guardian’s presence easing away the tensions.

“Ah, Tsu-kun and the others have changed quite a lot.” Nana muses one day, Reborn sitting at the table holding a cup of espresso. “Nowadays all they do is play~ Even Lambo-kun! Isn’t that nice?”

“It’s not really playing Mama, just muscle memory.” Reborn says softly. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Ahhh that’s it lol, I don’t know if it’s any good but yeah! I hope you enjoyed so be sure to leave a comment on your way out hehe
> 
> \- Mayoki


End file.
